


Guardian

by Alys_Brauer, TAFKAB



Series: Chasing Stars [5]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Boys Will Be Boys, Gen, Growing Up Together, HERE COMES THE SEHLAT, Teen Angst, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-08-18 10:58:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8159773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alys_Brauer/pseuds/Alys_Brauer, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TAFKAB/pseuds/TAFKAB
Summary: Leonard meets Spock's best friend.





	

**Author's Note:**

> More amazing drawings in this section by the incredible [Liaduval!](http://liaduval.tumblr.com)

Leonard slammed the door behind him and leaned against it, his heart pounding in his throat.

“There’s a giant saber-toothed goddamned tiger prowling the fucking hall,” he announced.

_Tiger in the hall by[Liaduval](http://liaduval.tumblr.com%22%22)_

“Leonard!” Eleanora’s eyes went wide; he wasn’t sure whether it was amusement or rage. “Language!”

Fuck language. Fuck language right in the _god damned vegetarian pointed ear!_

“All right.” His mother was missing the essential and rather urgent point, so he tried again. “There’s a giant, saber-toothed, cute, cuddly tiger with six-inch fangs out there prowling the perfectly safe and ordinary hall that I am never setting foot in again on the longest day I live!” He knew he was liable to get grounded for sass, but to hell with it. The tiger was _out there_ and if he got grounded, then he could stay _in here_ and that was just _peachy keen;_ that was _fine_.

David got up and went to the door; he opened it and stepped out.

Then he stepped right back in, and Leonard had the exquisite satisfaction of seeing that his father had gone pasty white.

“Lenny’s right.” David hastily latched the door.

“Lot of good that’ll do against a beast that size!”

“I’ll call Amanda.” His mother hastened into the next room to use the comm. 

Leonard and David glared around the room; there wasn’t much that could be adapted for use as a weapon. Leonard grabbed a metal stand-lamp that would have to do; his father took up a laser scalpel.

“Set the damn thing to ‘amputate,’” Leonard advised. “And while it’s eating you, I’ll try to get mom to safety.”

“Your altruism is overwhelming.” David was adjusting the settings, though. 

_Altruism by[Liaduval](http://liaduval.tumblr.com%22%22)_

“Everybody just calm down,” Eleanora returned. “Amanda says it’s the family pet. It’s a sehlat.”

“The family pet?” Leonard’s voice rose to a bellow. “That thing?!”

“His name is I’Chaya. She says she sent Spock down to make introductions.”

“Thank you, no!” Leonard snapped. “I’ll just spend the rest of my life in my damn room!”

“Leonard.” Warning crept into her tone. “Lady Amanda says the sehlat is a guardian animal. Once it has our scent and understands we’re part of the extended family, there won’t be any danger.”

“I’ll try to remember that when I’m bleeding out with its fangs buried in my leg!”

The door chimed. “That’ll be Spock,” David guessed, but he didn’t seem too eager to put away his scalpel.

“For heaven’s sake. Do you want them to believe all Terrans are barbarians?” Eleanora snatched Leonard’s lamp and put it back on the table, and David reluctantly set aside the scalpel before going to answer the chime.

“He was the one who sicced the thing on me to start with,” Leonard muttered, resentful. He was sure of it. He’d seen Spock go out, and as soon as he followed, the beast charged him. It was an open and shut case. 

Sure enough, the hobgoblin’s eyes fixed on him, glittering, the instant the door opened. Leonard could’ve sworn his lips were curved just a little, betraying his satisfaction.

_Smug Spock by[Liaduval](http://liaduval.tumblr.com%22%22)_

Introductions were duly made; each member of the family stepped forward to let the sehlat sniff and form an imprint under Spock’s polite tutelage. 

Leonard shoved in ahead of his mother at the last instant, scowling, and Spock calmly directed the sehlat-- I-Chaya-- to sniff him. McCoy watched a drop of translucent ichor drop off one long, curved fang as the wet black nose wrinkled and twitched at his sleeve.

“I brought I-Chaya to this level today with this purpose in mind,” Spock said when it was Eleanora’s turn. “It is unfortunate Leonard emerged precisely when he did.”

“It gave us all quite a turn,” David chuckled. “I’m just glad he’s on our side now.”

Leonard stared at the huge beast. He didn’t trust it as far as he could _throw_ it. In Vulcan’s 1.4 Earth standard gravity, that wasn’t very damn far.

“Spock, if you aren’t busy, maybe you’d take Leonard out and show him around.”

Leonard could’ve groaned out loud.

“Of course,” Spock said, impeccably polite.

Leonard reluctantly followed him out, keeping a wary eye on the beast. Spock had a hand buried in its fur, scratching its neck. He led Leonard to a wall panel.

“This terminal connects to the master computer for the compound. It has been programmed to respond to your language.” Spock made that sound like a disgusting burden for the computer, and Leonard resisted the desire to point out that Amanda Grayson rarely spoke in Vulcan. 

Spock continued, arch. “When you are lost, you may make a query of the computer, and it will direct you to any area you are allowed to visit. Your voiceprints have been transferred from the ship.”

When, not if. Leonard felt his lips tighten with resentment.

“How do I go outside?”

“You do not.” Spock’s voice was implacable. “You have not the skill to survive in the Forge, and this place is at its edge. Le’matya prowl at night, and may sometimes attack even by day; their fangs secrete a poison that is almost always fatal. That is not to mention the fact that the gravity and the heat will exhaust you rapidly. You could scarcely carry adequate water to last for one day, and you have no skill in finding more.”

Leonard’s eyes narrowed. “Then what do you do around here for fun? Comb your hair?”

“I go hiking in the mountains.” That self-satisfied lip-curl appeared again, almost there, almost not. 

“If it’s safe enough for you, then it’s safe enough for me.”

“To think so would be exceptionally unwise. All Vulcans undergo the kahs-wan when they are seven years of age which proves our fitness, ability, and maturity. It is not possible that you would survive the ordeal, even at your age.”

Leonard stiffened at that that. “Is that so?” he said softly, trying to remain calm.

“It is,” Spock responded, as if that was all there was to say on the matter. “If you will follow me, I will show you the rest of the complex.”

He nodded and followed after Spock, but he’d be damned if he was going to let that be the end of it. Kahs-wan, was it? Well he’d just have to look into that.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, we know I-Chaya died during Spock's kahs-wan in the original. We're making a deliberate change because reasons. ;-)


End file.
